5 Important Skills to Develop Before College

05th November 2018

Lauren Bachelder

Wondering how to make sure your child is prepared for college but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re leaving for college in May and worried about adjusting? We’re here to help! Here are five of the most important skills for college-bound students and some simple ways to develop these traits:

Time Management
The standard college workload is totally doable – if you have all the time in the world. So since you don’t, it’s crucial to learn how to use your time wisely. How can you make this happen? Start monitoring how you spend your time. If you catch yourself spending hours upon hours scrolling through social media, break these bad habits now!

Organization
Do you use an agenda or calendar for school due dates and project deadlines? If not, start now. The days of just storing these facts in your brain are over, and it’s time to fall in love with list making!

Efficient Reading Skills
No matter what major you choose, you will undoubtedly complete hours upon hours of textbook reading. Start practicing your active reading skills now by pushing your speed, asking yourself comprehension questions after each paragraph, and highlighting only the most important phrases.

Solid Study Habits
What kind of learner are you: visual, auditory, or tactile? Do you memorize material by making notecards, writing out summaries, or explaining the concepts to a friend? Find out before you have to prepare for a huge college test!

Thorough Note Taking
In many classes, the important facts and examples that the professor shares during lecture may appear directly on the test, so take G.R.E.A.T. notes: Get organized, Realize what’s important, Examples, Ask questions, Treat your notes like a study guide!